Warnock tells Palace to smarten up

Crystal Palace manager Neil Warnock called on his players to get better at moving on when referees' decisions do not go their way.

Published

4 November 2014

While Warnock could not resist complaining about a possible penalty that was not given to Palace striker Frazier Campbell in the opening minute of Monday's Premier League clash with Sunderland, the 65-year-old argued his team cannot allow such decisions to derail them.

As Palace struggled with referee Phil Dowd's decision, Sunderland struck the opener in the 31st minute through Steven Fletcher and although a Wes Brown own goal levelled the match 10 minutes into the second half, Warnock's men conceded twice after the break to lose 3-1.

"In the first half we were letting the penalty get to us for half an hour," Warnock said at his post-match media conference.

"We've got to get over that and get on [with it]. I thought second half, we just got on with it and we were a lot better and that's what we've got to do."

It continued Warnock's theme that his team are "a bit too nice" and do not know how to grind out results as their winless run in the Premier League stretched to four matches.

Monday's loss left Palace just above the relegation zone on goals scored, ahead of Leicester City.

"You can see we want to go at them, a little bit naive at times," Warnock said.

"You know, we panic a little bit but you can see there's areas we need improving and I think if we do that, hang in there and get the three or four bodies in in January, I think we'll have a lot more solid team."

But while Warnock wants his team to be tougher, he rejected the idea that Campbell and the rest of his players did not do enough to bring Dowd's attention to the first-minute penalty opportunity.

"I was told after the West Brom [game, where Wilfried Zaha was tripped in the box by Craig Dawson but no penalty was given], we should appeal for penalties a lot more," he said.

"We shouldn't have to appeal for penalties. If somebody kicks your shin and you go down, it should be given.